The lanes will be open from noon Wednesday, Dec. 24, until noon Friday, Dec. 26, and again from noon Wednesday, Dec. 31, until noon Friday, Jan. 2, with the exception of Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Long-term construction zones will remain in place.

VDOT has noted a slight reduction in volume on the interstate this year. Still, highway crashes are one of the leading causes of death in the commonwealth.

Changing driver behavior is the single most effective tool for reducing highway deaths.

VDOT is challenging motorists to do their part to help prevent highway fatalities by:

• Buckling up
• Avoiding distractions
• Sharing the road
• Obeying speed limits
• Driving drug-and-alcohol free

For more information on the Virginia Highway Safety Challenge and ways to avoid becoming Virginia’s next traffic fatality, visit www.safeVAhighways.org.

The following resources are available to make travel safer and easier:

• Travelers can learn about incidents affecting traffic by visiting www.511virginia.org. Citizens can also sign up to receive personalized traffic alerts by e-mail or text messages.



• E-ZPass, Virginia’s electronic toll collection system is part of the national E-ZPass network.
  
   
  E-ZPass customers may use their transponders at toll facilities in:
  
  
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• West Virginia


For more information on E-ZPass Virginia, visit www.ezpassva.com.

These areas may pose delays for motorists over the holidays:

Bristol

Interstates 77/81 overlap - Be alert to the possibility of slowed or stopped traffic in this area due to historically high traffic volumes.

Fredericksburg

During the Christmas holiday, lane closures are suspended on Interstate 95 and all primary and secondary roads from noon Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 28.
 
During the New Year’s holiday, lane closures are suspended from noon Wednesday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 4.

Hampton Roads

During the Christmas holiday, lane closures are suspended on all interstate maintenance projects in Hampton Roads from 5 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, through 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26.

During the New Year’s holiday, lane closures are suspended from 5 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, through 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2. Weekend lane restrictions remain in effect.

Interstates 64/264/664 HOV lanes – HOV lane restrictions will be lifted Thursday, Dec. 25 and Friday, Dec. 26, and Thursday, Jan.1, 2009.

The reversible roadway on I-64 west will be open to traffic from 1 a.m. to 11 a.m. and to eastbound traffic from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

HOV/reversible roadway lane directions may shift throughout the holiday weekends depending on road conditions and traffic volume.

I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel – Motorists traveling to Virginia Beach may want to use the Interstate 664 Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel instead of the I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel is often less congested.
 
I-64 in Chesapeake at Battlefield Boulevard (exits 289-291) – Construction is approaching the final phase on the Battlefield Boulevard project. There will be no additional lane closures over the holiday weekend, but motorists may experience congestion and travel delays between Greenbrier Parkway and Battlefield Boulevard at the Interstate 464 interchange.

Outer Banks traffic – Motorists traveling to the Outer Banks may want to take I-664 and the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel to avoid the I-64/Battlefield Boulevard construction project in Chesapeake.

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry – The ferry will operate a holiday schedule on Christmas Day and a regular schedule on New Year’s Day. For times, visit http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp.

Northern Virginia

During the Christmas holiday, lane closures on interstate maintenance and construction projects are suspended from noon Wednesday, Dec. 24, until 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29.

During the New Year’s holiday, lane closures are suspended from noon Wednesday, Dec. 31, until 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5 with the exception of the HOT lanes project on I-495 in the Tysons Corner area where the construction will resume on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m..

Interstate 395 north - Duke Street to I-395 north ramp is restricted to cars only, no trucks or buses. The project will be complete in Dec. 2009.

I-495 to I-395 north - I-495 on the inner loop of the Capital Beltway to I-395 north, no wide loads are permitted on the ramp. The railroad overpass reconstruction project will be complete in March 2009.

I-95/395 HOV lanes during the Christmas holiday - The I-95/395 reversible HOV lanes will be used for southbound traffic at the following times:

• Wednesday, Dec. 24, from noon until 9 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 26, from 1 p.m. until Saturday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m.

The HOV lanes will be used for northbound traffic at the following times:

• Wednesday, Dec. 24, from 11 p.m. until Friday, Dec. 26, at 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 27, from 4 p.m. until Monday. Dec. 29.

Interstate 95/395 HOV Lanes during the New Year’s holiday - The I-95/395 reversible HOV lanes will be used for southbound traffic at the following times:

• Wednesday, Dec. 31, from noon until 9 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 2, from 1 p.m. until Saturday, Jan. 3, at 2 p.m.

The HOV lanes will be used for northbound traffic at the following times:

• Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 11 p.m. until Friday, Jan. 2, at 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 3, from 4 p.m. until Monday. Jan. 5.

Richmond

Interstates 295/64 flyover (western Henrico County) – Expect 11-foot travel lanes and concrete barriers along I-64 east and west between Route 288 (exit 174) and I-295 (exit 177) and along I-295 between the I-64 interchange and just south of Nuckols Road (exit 51). The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph in this work zone.

Interstate 85 South (Mecklenburg) – The right lane will be closed on I-85 south over Route 629/Reed Road (mile marker 7) for a bridge replacement project. The left travel lane will remain open. Expect delays.

Route 58 East/West (Mecklenburg) – Expect one lane of travel in each direction on the structure over Third Branch (approximately halfway between Clarkesville and South Boston). Traffic has been shifted to the westbound travel lanes.

Salem

Route 58 – Drainage structure installation has reduced westbound Route 58 to one lane near Woodlawn in Carroll County.

Route 58/Hillsville – Due to bypass construction around Hillsville, Route 58 traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction just west of Hillsville. The speed limit is reduced to 35 mph.

Route 220 – Work to replace a bridge has closed Route 220 Business between Route 639 and Mica Road in Henry County. The bridge is located near the Route 87 intersection in Ridgeway. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes around the closure.

Route 221 – Route 221 traffic west of Forest in Bedford County is reduced to one lane in each direction due to road widening. The speed limit is 35 mph.

Note to editors: For details about specific projects, please contact the district public affairs office for the project area. Those offices are listed at http://www.virginiadot.org/news/mediacontacts.asp.

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Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.